Cicadas starting to emerge from underground on Staten Island

Cicadas have started emerging from underground in Staten Island. These were seen recently in Prince's Bay.Twitter/MadcapFishing

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The cicadas have arrived on Staten Island. And like it or not, their move-in is only in its earliest stages.

Billions of these insects, known officially as Brood II, have been waiting 17 years to come out from under the ground to mate. They are expected to inundate portions of the East Coast, including Staten Island; in fact, some scientists are expecting they will out-number people in portions of the country 600 to one. During earlier cicada invasions, the insects numbered as many as 1.5 million bugs per acre, according to WJLA.com.

This particular brood will be present in this borough, but not in the rest of New York City and Long Island, according to Chris Simon of the University of Connecticut.

Cicadas emerge when the temperature of the ground reaches 64 degrees, and apparently that has happened in Prince's Bay, as seen in a photo posted by Twitter user MadcapFishing.

However, according to Ed Johnson, director of science at the Staten Island Museum, the insects caught on camera in Prince's Bay are likely nymphs flushed out by the heavy rain Staten Island experienced earlier in the week of May 6.

"This is not the start of the emergence," said Johnson. But the big event is not far off, he added. "When it starts, there will be thousands coming out at the same time and it will happen at night. There are too many predators around during the day."

After a few weeks in the trees, they will die and their offspring will retreat underground, not to return until 2030.

The insects are harmless, say scientists. They don't hurt humans or other animals, though they may damage some saplings and shrubs.